Critically acclaimed and beloved director, Greta Gerwig, did it again with a beautiful film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s book, “Little Women”.
Since its release on Christmas Day, the movie has climbed the box office sales, grossing over $80 million worldwide. The film even made it on former President Barack Obama’s favorite movies of 2019 list!
“Little Women’s” stacked cast includes Saoirse Ronan — who previously worked with Gerwig on “Lady Bird” — as the feisty and determined Jo March. Ronan acts alongside her onscreen sisters played by Emma Watson, Florence Pugh and Eliza Scanlen. American heartthrob, Timothée Chalamet, (who also worked with Ronan and Gerwig on “Lady Bird”) plays the boy-next-door, Laurie. Meryl Streep and Laura Dern also make appearances throughout the film.
From aspiring to fulfill dreams, longing for love and finding a place in the world, Gerwig creates an emotional story that follows the lives of four sisters during the Civil War. The main focus is on Saoirse’s character, Jo, who is an aspiring writer navigating womanhood. Jo inspires the audience through her creative and independent ways, she bends the rules and is not afraid to speak her mind. Jo is a standout character crafted by Gerwig to be relatable for multiple generations of women.
Photo from www.littlewomen.movie
Many would consider it a crime to not mention Timothée Chalamet’s performance. As Laurie, he was romantic, warm and sensational. There is no doubt that Timothée pours his heart and soul into each of his performances. Audiences may find it hard not to smile each time his character is on the screen. Laurie is a neighbor of the March family and becomes heavily entwined with their family, creating lasting memories with them. He eventually becomes infatuated with Jo and believes they could live a beautiful life together. However, Jo is just not interested in marriage at the time.
Breakout star Florence Pugh deserves an honorable mention for her sassy and witty character, Amy. She plays a very convincing thirteen-year-old for most of the film, despite being 24 in real life. She received a well-earned BAFTA nomination and Academy Award nomination for this role in the Supporting Actress category. Pugh is definitely a star to keep an eye out for.
Photo courtesy of www.littlewomen.movie
A specific aspect to highlight in Greta Gerwig’s directing is the detail and emotion she puts in every shot. Each frame of “Little Women” looks like an alluring painting. It is clear that Greta puts her heart and soul into each scene, something that is very noticeable through the way the cast interacts with one another. A unique, yet successful choice of Greta’s was to use color to indicate the past and present. The film flips between flashbacks and the present day, and Greta uses that to her advantage by choosing different color schemes to represent the two time periods. The past is full of bright colors and sunshine, while the present is full of gloomy blues.
With award season in full swing, “Little Women” has received some well deserved recognition. To end the year on a high-note, Greta was named the Best Director of 2019 by The National Society of Film Critics. At the recent Golden Globe Awards, Saoirse Ronan was nominated for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama, and the film picked up a nomination for Best Original Score. Greta Gerwig was not nominated for Best Director at the Globes, but there was quite the controversy surrounding the category due to its lack of female representation. Five nominations were received for the BAFTA Awards in London. Additionally, the film received many nominations for the Critic’s Choice Awards.
Oscar nominations were announced on Jan. 13 and “Little Women” was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture! Other category nominations included Best Actress to Saoirse Ronan, Best Original Score and Best Costume Design. Gerwig once again missed out on Best Directing, which sparked a lot of backlash against the Academy.
Whether you want to laugh, cry or reminisce, Greta Gerwig has created a fresh and lasting adaption of Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women.”
